Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-01-22
Washington Letter.

The passage OF the great Inter State
Commerce bill, which is the result of
a popular movement beginning
twenty years ago, marks the past
week in Congress. There was good
deal of important legislation besides
this, however, such as that giving the
Agricultural Department Executive
importance and its chief a seat in the
Cabinet that extirpating the hier-
rarchy at Salt Lake City, and that
doubling the militia appropriations
for the year. This last act will
doubtless be well received every
where; for the time has come when
it is acknowledged that The citizen
soldiery of the land ought to receive
more attention than has ever yet been
shown them.
1t was expected that the Senate
would settle the veXed question of
Commerce by Railroads as it did,
about the hour of midnight on Fri
day, but no one knew how many
more Senators would be found sup
porting than opposing the bill. 1t
came triumphantly through by Il
vote of forty-three to fifteen, although
a number of Senators who voted for
the measure were dissatisfied with it.
These decided to set aside their own
views and follow the dictates of their
constituents, saying in this instance,
where legislation is necessarily eX-
perimental, it is safe to give the peo-
pie the benefit of the doubt.
The Interstate Commerce bill was
framed and pressed forward by men
who were mostly honest in their eff
fort to relieve the people, but there
are a good many legislators who
doubt its efficacy. Some say the rail
roads will put up their through
freights instead of reducing their way
freights, and thus insure the equality
which the law demands.
Now that the Anti-Mormon bill
has been passed by the House, one
hears a good MANY comments which
indicate an appreciation of the severi-
ty of the measure. 1t not only makes
polygamy a felony, but dissolves the
financial corporation known as the
Latter Day Saints, and the Perpetual
Emigration Fund Company, and
practically abolishes all the machin-
cry, religious or political, that is now
employed directly or indirectly in
the maintenance of the Mormon
Church system. There are differences
of opinion as to the wisdom and jus.
tice of the policy, but the friends Of
the measure just passed assume that
the malady is ofsuch terrible nature
as to require heroic treatment. Its
opponents say it would be better tt
wait upon the slow attritions of time
and the pressure of public opinion t.
wear the evil out.
The Republicans pledged them
selves to eradicate polygamy in 1856
more than thirty years ago. They
held power for nearly quarter of ;
century and as Mormonism still -four
ishes it is left for the Democrats t
perform duty which the Republi
cans neglected or else could not do
OF course everybody desires that tn
"twin relic of barbarism" shall be de
stroyed, if it can be done withou
stnaining the Constitution. Hon
Randolph Tucker, of Va, who re
ported the Anti-Mormon bill, hell
that there was nothing in it tina
could hurt the conscience even of
Mormon. If he thought there wa
he said he would vote against it.
The Marine band which furnishe
music at White House receptions,
enthusiastic in praise Of the presen
) Administration. Mr.. Cleveland feed
them well and is sociable and kin
| to them, and Secretary Whitney is
man just after their own heart.
| Whea they got through at the Pres
: dents on New Years day, the Secrt
tary of the Navy took them over /
his house to play ut the receptio
there. He paid them - apiece fc
! thpir sr,,.icns md thp In,dor III